The holiday season is upon us, with no shortage of festive activities over the next month, from choral concerts to cultural celebrations to shopping extravaganzas and visits with Santa. Check out our listings, and if you have an event to add, please email us at visource@gmail.com with “holiday event” in the subject line.
Children on St. John may take advantage of the Rotary Club of St. John’s project to deliver letters to Santa in partnership with local businesses and organizations. Boxes are strategically placed at The Tap Room in Cruz Bay, Dazey Drive In in Coral Bay, the Julius E. Sprauve School, and the Dynamic Dancers. The letter collection will continue through Dec. 6 for letters to be safely delivered to St. Nick so he will have adequate time to respond before Christmas.
The V.I. Education Department’s holiday concert series promises “festive melodies, soul-stirring harmonies, and the vibrant energy of our young performers as they deliver a spectacular showcase that will leave you inspired. From timeless classics to contemporary holiday favorites, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!” For more details, visit the Education Department’s website or Facebook page. Unless otherwise noted, admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students.
St. Thomas-St. John District
— Ivanna Eudora Kean High School will hold its concert at 5:59 p.m. Dec. 5 at Café Kean. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students.
— Lockhart K-8 School concert, “A Christmas of Joy and Wonder,” is at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Ruth E. Thomas Auditorium at CAHS, featuring the Intermediate Choir with Jordan J. JohnLewis, Intermediate Band with George Thomas, Concert Choir with Malvern V. Gumbs, and Concert Winds with Niels A. Gooding, Uriel M.J. Rogers and student teacher Kayla Fontaine.
— Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the auditorium.
— Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, 9 a.m. Dec. 11 in the courtyard, featuring the Hallelujah Chorus, Oh Come Emmanuel, Ode to Joy, Carol of the Bells and many more. Free admission.
— Joseph A. Gomez Elementary School, 6 p.m. Dec. 11 in the Bertha C. Boschulte School auditorium.
— Joseph A. Gomez Elementary School in Anna’s Retreat will present “A Christmas to Remember” on Dec. 11 at the Bertha C. Boschulte School auditorium. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults, and a concession will be available.
— Yvonne E. Milliner Bowsky Elementary School, 9 a.m. Dec. 12 in the cafeteria. Admission is $5 for adults and students.
— Bertha C. Boschulte School’s music department presents “A Merry, Merry Christmas” at 6 p.m. Dec. 12 in the auditorium.
— Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John, 9:30 a.m. Dec. 16 in the cafeteria. Free admission.
— Ulla F. Muller Elementary School, 9 a.m. Dec. 16 in the courtyard. Free admission.
— Joseph Sibilly Elementary School, 9 a.m. Dec. 18 in the cafeteria.
St. Croix District
— Pearl B. Larsen PreK-8 School, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in the cafeteria. Adults $5 and students $3.
— St. Croix Educational Complex High School, 6 p.m. Dec. 10 in the auditorium. Adults $15 and students $7.
— Claude O. Markoe Elementary School, Dec. 13 in the auditorium. Adults $15 and students $7.
— John H. Woodson Junior High School, 6 p.m. Dec. 13 in the auditorium. Admission is free, with donations accepted.
— Eulalie Rivera PreK-8 School, 8:30 a.m. Dec. 17 in the school’s pavilion.
— Lew Muckle Elementary School, 8:30 a.m. Dec. 17 in the cafeteria.
The community is invited to learn Handel’s exhilarating Hallelujah Chorus on Dec. 5 in an open rehearsal hosted by two of St. John’s Cruz Bay churches. All sheet music and part recordings will be provided. Sing St John’s annual Community Holiday Celebration is scheduled for Dec. 21 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Cruz Bay. This event always culminates with the Hallelujah Chorus sung by the performing choirs and singers from the audience. TheDec. 5 rehearsal will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church. For more information, contact Kristen Carmichael-Bowers at 340-227 4920.
The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development presents its annual Wine in the Warehousefundraiser with celebrity chef Digby Stridiron from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at Bohlke International Aviation. Tickets are $150 per person and available athttp://www.stxfoodandwine.com.For parties of 10 or more, please reach out to St. Croix Foundation at 340-773-9898 directly to learn about group discounts.
The Coral Bay Community Council’s annual Bizarre Bazaarwill take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Johnny Lime in Coral Bay, St. John, with arts and crafts, music and food. To sign up as a vendor, email jenniferstonestj@gmail.com. The deadline to register is Dec. 4.
“Journey to Christiansted … Follow Deh Lights Tuh Town,”a culture, heritage and tradition mobile and pedestrian lantern parade from Ricardo Richards School to Sunday Market Square, presented by the Crucian Cultural Group from 6 to 11 p.m. Dec. 7 in Christiansted, St. Croix. Entry registration is required at 340-643-9888 or 340-474-5885.
St. Thomas Reformed Church’s fourth annual Christmas concertwith the V.I.-P.R. Friendship Chamber Orchestra will take place at 6 p.m. on Dec. 8, the second Sunday in Advent. Entitled “What Shall We Give Him,” this musical production by native Virgin Islander and music director Gylchris Sprauve will feature an array of artists including soprano Elizabeth Rodriguez, tenor Robert Chalwell, vocalist Desarie Maynard, cellist Micah McCants, steel pannist Eljhaie Brathwaite, and the V.I. Children’s Christmas Choir co-directed by Chanelle Schaffer and Renee Hodge. Admission is free, a free-will offering collected. For more information, call 340-776-8255 or visitwww.strchurch.org.
Caribbean Community Theatre, 18 Estate Orange Grove, Christiansted, St. Croix, will present the play “… And a Groundhog in a Pear Tree” on Dec. 8 at 4 p.m., with book and lyrics by Lindsay Price; music by Kristin Gauthier. Calendar Town is abuzz with preparations for the annual Holiday Ball at Calendar Castle…but when the 12 Days of Christmas go on strike and refuse to perform at the Ball, the lesser celebrated, “inferior” calendar days must band together to save the show. The show features the students of The Calico Cat Company, CCT’s after-school drama program for children. For reservations, email eileencct@gmail.com. Tickets are sold at the CCT box office, cash only, prior to the performance: $10 for adults and teenagers; $5 age 12 and under. The box office opens at 3:15 p.m. on the show date; arrive early for best seating and parking.
V.I. runners are gearing up for the 3rd Annual Reindeer Run Half Marathon & 5Kon Dec. 8 at 7 a.m., starting and finishing at Cane Bay Beach on St. Croix’s Northside Road. The event is hosted by the St Croix Road Racing Committee and serves as the V.I. Half Marathon Championship for the Virgin Islands Track & Field Federation. The 13.1-mile run will start at Cane Bay and head east for 1.5 miles then turn around and head west to the Carambola guard shack, turn around and then back to Cane Bay. Half-marathon runners will complete that course twice. The 3.1-mile run will also head east for 1.5 miles, turn around, but will run slightly past Cane Bay on the return to the turnaround cone and finish. Walkers are welcome to participate in the 5K distance. There will be fun finishers’ awards, raffle prizes and holiday cheer at the finish line. Go here to register: https://tinyurl.com/ReindeerRun2024. For more information, contact 340-513-2707.
The V.I. Port Authority will host its annual Holiday Festfrom 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility in Frederiksted, St. Croix. Those interested in being a vendor or who need more information may contact 340-778-1012 orMGeorge@viport.com.
The Government Employees’ Retirement System will host a Holiday Social from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Havensight Mall on St. Thomas, for government of the Virgin Islands retirees only. Admission is free. For more information call 340-776-7703, ext. 4203, or email communications@usvigers.com.
Miracle on Main Street, a seasonal favorite hosted by the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, will take place in downtown Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, on Dec. 13. Miracle sweeps from Emancipation Garden and Vendors Plaza, where local artisan booths and food stalls are set up, down to Market Square, where the storefronts are usually open and ready for the holiday shopping rush. By early evening, much of the activity is contained around the food, which offers event-goers the chance to cozy up under an awning with something warm and delicious.
“Ah Glow in Deh Park — Deh Village of Lights,” the annual Limpricht Park Tree Lighting hosted by the Crucian Cultural Group from 7 to 10 p.m. Dec. 13 at the park on King Street in Christiansted, St. Croix. For more information, call 340-626-6477 or 340-643-6398.
The Love City Pan Dragons will host a holiday concert and fundraiser with a theme of Caribbean Christmas on Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. at the St. John School of the Arts. Ronald Lee Jr. and friends will open the performance and there will be complimentary appetizers, a cash bar, merchandise for sale, and a 50/50 raffle. This performance is a fundraiser for the band’s May 2025 trip to PANFest in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Seats are limited and tickets will sell out. Reserve your seat by sending $20 per person and each guest’s name, phone number, and email address via Venmo@Lovecitypandragons or via PayPal tolovecitypandragons@gmail.com. Call or text 340-690-2420 for more information.
St. Croix Christmas Boat Parade aboard Denis Sullivan: Enjoy the St. Croix Christmas Boat Parade in a unique setting — aboard tall ship Denis Sullivan from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 14. Tickets are $165 and will support World Ocean School’s transformative programs on island. Tickets available at worldoceanschool.org/st-croix-sails.
All Saints Cathedral School’s Annual 5K Run with the Vikings Jingle Run will be held on Dec. 14 beginning at 6:30 a.m. on St. Thomas, with the Vikings set to jingle all the way from Yacht Haven Grande to the Frenchtown Post Office and back. This fundraising community event, now in its 10th year, features musical entertainment, treats for sale, moko jumbies, dancers, a kids’ corner featuring Santa, face painting and more. National Honor Society students will also be collecting toiletries for the Nana Baby Home, and will make a presentation to the Women’s Resource Center and the Cathedral Church of All Saints. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in each category. Early registration is open through Dec. 6 at $15 for children and $20 for adults. Late and online registration is $20 children and $25 adults. Visit www.allsaintsvi.org to register and for more information.
Deck the Halls @ Havensight Mall — the St. Thomas children’s Christmas party hosted by the Government Employees’ Retirement System and the governor for children age 12 and under — will take place on Dec. 14 from 3 to 9 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Gift-giving will commence promptly at 6 p.m. and stores will be open late. Enjoy the lighting of the Christmas tree and entertainment by the Klimaxx Band, The Rising Stars and Allstars steel orchestras and other groups.
“A Traditional and Historical Glow in Deh Town,” the lighting of the old ruins, will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 15 at Contentment Road and the Christiansted Bypass on St. Croix, hosted by the Crucian Cultural Group. For information, call 340-643-5356 or 340-514-9917. At 5:30 p.m., enjoy the Downtown Cultural Window Reveal and Display at the Purple Papaya at Queen Cross Street in Christiansted. For information, call 340-643-9888 or 340-277-1754.
The V.I. Port Authority will hold its annual Holiday Fest from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Dec. 18 at the Crown Bay Center on St. Thomas. Those interested in being a vendor or who need more information may contact 340-774-2132 or CrownBayCenter@viport.com.
Holiday Spirits aboard Denis Sullivan: Sponsored by Mutiny Island Vodka, come aboard tall ship Denis Sullivan on Dec. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. for this holiday party and enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a free holiday drink, a cash bar, and musical entertainment. Tickets are $55 for adults and $45 for children and seniors and will support World Ocean School’s transformative programs on island. Tickets are available at worldoceanschool.org/st-croix-sails.
The fifth annual Liston Davis Christmas Children’s Parade will take place on Dec. 23, departing from the fire station across from Barbel Plaza on St. Thomas. For information call 340-513-4041.
St. Croix Christmas Eve Sail: Make the most of the holiday by taking a sunset cruise through Christiansted Harbor. Join World Ocean School for a sunset sail from 4 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 24. Tickets are $55 for adults and $45 for children and seniors and will support World Ocean School’s transformative programs on island. Tickets are available at worldoceanschool.org/st-croix-sails.
Annual Governor’s Children’s Christmas Party: Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. warmly invites families to the Governor’s Children’s Christmas Party, a festive celebration taking place on all three islands. This special event promises an evening of fun and holiday cheer for children aged newborn to 12 years.
Here’s where you can join in on the festivities:
St. Croix
Date:Thursday, December 12th
Time:6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location:Government HouseSt. Thomas
Date:Saturday, December 14th
Time:6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location:Havensight Mall- St. John
Date:Monday, December 16th
Time:6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location:Franklin Powell Sr. Park
Families can look forward to photos with Santa, exciting giveaways, delicious treats, festive music, and plenty of toys for the children. It’s a wonderful opportunity to gather with friends, family, and community members and celebrate the spirit of the season together.
“We’re excited to be able to bring the community together for this joyful occasion,” said Bryan. “It’s all about creating lasting memories for our kids and celebrating the holiday spirit.”
